Device for testing cigarettes



Oct. 16, 1934. D. w. MOLINS DEVICE FOR TESTING CIGARETTES Filed Dec. 14,1932 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 n WWW? Oct. 16, 1934.

D. W. MOLINS DEVICE FOR TESTING CIGARETTES Filed Dec. 14. 1932 2Sheets-Sheet Patented Oct. 16, 1934 I DEVICE FOR. TESTING CIGARETTESDesmond Walter Molins, Bexley, Kent, England Application December14,1932, Serial No. 647,247 In Great Britain December 14, 1931 19Claims. (01. 209-79) This invention is for improvements in or reers forthe cigarettes. The feelers are arranged lating to cigarette makingmachines, and an in pairs, one feeler of each pair being conobject ofthe invention is to provide means stituted by a stud 12 on a rotatabledisc 13 on whereby defective and soft ended cigarettes proa shaft 113while the other feeler of each pair duced by the machine may beautomatically is comprised by a stud 14 on a radial arm 15 6Q detectedand rejected or separated from the rewhich is spring urged by means of aspring 16 maining cigarettes. towards its opposite stud 12. The movableThis object is achieved according to the presarms 15 are carried on therotating shaft 113 out invention by providing for use with a cigaandproject through grooves 18 in a cylindrical l0 rette making or packingmachine, a selecting deflange on the disc 1'7. The parts are so ar- 55vice for rejecting or separating defective (e. g. ranged that the discs13 and 17 lie outside the soft ended) cigarettes from the others,comdiscs 11, while the axes of the shafts 111 and prising incombination, a pair of feelers ar- 113 and also that of the deflector 6are all ranged to engage the opposite ends of each parallelto oneanother. In this way, the cigacigarette, at least one feeler of eachpair being rettes are removed laterally fromthe conveyor 70 yieldinglymounted to move inwardly towards 115., r the other, means for deliveringone cigarette The deflector blades 6 are arranged to rotate at a timebetween said feelers, and means for between the discs 11 and theapparatus is so releasing the cigarette from the feelers at a diftimedthat each deflector blade in turn coincides 20 ferent time and/orplaceaccording to themovewith succeeding grooves in the discs 11 as the75 ment of the yielding feeler when the particular deflectors revolve.cigarette is being tested. vAll the cigarettes delivered from thecut-off vIt will beappreciated that the apparatus may of the cigarettemaking machine are thereby be used for separating cigarettes ofdifferent transferred in turn to the groovesbetween the hardness, andofdifferent lengths within cerprojections 10 and. the discs 11, ,and theyare 80 tain predetermined limits. retained in position bythecircumferential One construction of a cigarette selecting deguides 9provided near the edge of the revolvvice made in accordance with theinvention will ing discs. Lateral guides 90, are provided to nowbedescribed by way of example with referensure that the cigarettes havetheir ends in enoe to the accompanying drawings, in which: alignment. 35

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the selecting de- Each pair of feelers12.and 14 of the carvice. rier are so arranged on the shaft 113 and theFig. 2 is an end elevation looking in the dirotation of the latter is soarranged, that each rection of the arrow 2 on Fig. 1. pair of feelersmoves in synchronism with the Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a portion ofthe arrival of a cigarette at the detecting position. 90

device looking in the opposite direction to that As shown in Fig. 1, thearm 15 is moved past shown in Fig. 2, and the trailing end of ,a cam 19and is moved Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the maninwardlytowards the opposite feeler ,12 by a ner in which the cigarettes aregripped and respring 16 and a cigarette 5 is thereby gripped.

leased. As the discs 13 and 17'continue to rotate still 5 Like referencenumerals refer to like parts further, the arm 15 approaches the leadingedge throughout the several figures of the drawings. of a cam 20. Thiscam 20 lies outwardly be- The selecting device is preferably arrangedyond a. predetermined point so as only to be atthe end of a continuousrod cigarette main the path of any of the arms 15 that are chine.gripping a cigarette which is of the proper The cigarettes 5, as theyissue on the conlength and the ends of which are of the desired veyor115 from the cut-off of the machine, are degree of hardness. In thiscase, the arm 15 deflected at right angles to their path in the carryingthe cigarette 5 which is a good one, machine by deflectors 6 over atiltable plate 7 will be'pressed outwardly beyond the leading 0 andbetween guides 8 and 9 to the arcuate edge of the cam 20 so that as theshaft 113 and grooves between projections 10 on discs 11 which the discs13 and 17 rotate, the arm 15 will rotate on a shaft 111 in the directionshown on engage the outer face of the cam 20 and will the drawings. bemoved outwardly thereby so that the ciga- Above the pairs of rotatingdiscs 11 there are rette 5 is released. As shown in Fig. 4 this 5mounted rotatable carriers which comprise feelrelease has just takenplace. 119

The inner face of the cam 20 is, however, such that if a defectivecigarette, such as cigarette 5 shown in Figs. 1 and 4, is either tooshort or is soft at the ends so that the feelers 12 and 14: penetrateinto the cigarette, the arms 15 gripping such cigarettes, will pass theleading edge of the cam 20 on the inside, and consequently, the faultyordefective cigarettes such as the cigarette 5 will be carried on by therotating discs 13 and 17. The leading edge of the cam 20 is constitutedby a separate element 120 that is pivotally mounted about a pin 1'21 andurged into its normal position by a tension spring 122. This mountingallows the element 120 to tilt back if it is accidentally struck by oneof the arms 15, so as to allow the arm to pass by without damaging themachine.

For the sake of clearness, in Fig. 4, the part 120 has not been shownseparate from the cam 20. In order to allow cigarettes of differentlengths to be tested, provision is made to adjust the discs 17 axiallyalong the spindle 113. This adjustment may be efi'ected by thumb-screw124 shown on the right-hand side of Fig. 2. -A similar adjusting devicewould be employed, although not shown in the drawings, for effecting theaxial adjustment of the disc 1'7 on that side.

At the rear end of the cam 20, there is pro- Vided' a catcher 21 intowhich the faulty or defective cigarettes are dropped. These latter arereleased by the feelers at the proper time by a cam 19. As seen in Fig;3, the leading edge of the cam 19 is curved inwardly so that any feelerarms 15 which lie on the inside of the cam 20, will be gradually pressedoutwardly by the cam 19 so as to'release the cigarettes at the propertime into the -catcher;'

The other feeler arms 15 (such as the arm 15 which have moved along theoutside of the cam 20, move against the cam 19 under the tension of thesprings 16 whenthey have passed the trailing end of the cam 20.

Thu's all the arms 15, whether they engage a good or a defectivecigarette, will eventually engage the outer face of the cam 19.

The cam 19 is arranged to hold the feeler arm 15' outwardly beyond theends of the cigarettes which are carried by the *discs 11, so that asthe arms 15 pass the trailing edge of the cam 19, they move inwardlyunder the influence of their springs 16 to engage the cigarette.

It has just been shown that the faulty cigarettes are dropped into acatcher 21, and'it will be necessary to describehow the other cigarettesare removed from the selecting device.

- The sequence of events will be more clearly understood from aconsideration of Fig. 4 of the drawings. In this case, the arm 15 whichonly a moment ago gripped the end of the cigarette 5 as shown in Fig. 1,has now reached the leading edge'of the cam20 and has been pressedoutwardly thereby. The cigarette 5 is, therefore, released almostimmediately after being gripped andialls back into the same groove inthe discs 1.1 in which it was previously carried. The tested cigarettessuch as 5 are carried round by the discs 11 between pairs. of

j lateral guides 22,1which set their ends in proper alignment. .A shield23 prevents them from leaving the discs 11 radially and ensures thatthey are carried down between guides 24' and 25,- the latter beingconstituted by a spring finger. The cigarettes are thereby allowed tofall on to a travelling band 26, which may be the usual delivery band ofthe machine.

As shown in Fig. 2, two pairs of detectors are provided side by side inpractice, the cigarettes being deflected to each detector alternately. Apartition 28 separates the cigarettes on the delivery band 26.

In the event of the detecting apparatus ceasing to operate for anyreason at all, the plate 7 can be lowered so that the cigarettes may bedeflected from the conveyor 115 directly to the conveyor 26. In order,in such a case, toreduce thespeed of the cigarettes, a flap 27 offlexible material (for example, of felt) is provided, supportedafrom theguide 24.

It will be appreciated that the selecting device need not beused'inconjunction with a cigarette making machine as described above,as it may be used independent of the latter for checking madecigarettes.

w What I claim as my invention and desire to secure'by Letters Patentis:--

l. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination, a pair of studs arranged to engage and enterthe opposite ends of each cigarette, one stud of each pair beingyieldingly mounted tomove inwardly toward the other to an extentdetermined by the consistency of the cigarette, means for delivering onecigarette at a time between said studs, and means for releasing thecigarettes from the studs at a'difterent'time and place dependent uponthe extent of movement of the yielding stud when the particularcigarette is being tested.

2. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling'ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination, a movable carrier having at least one pair ofstuds operative to engage and enter opposite ends of a cigarette,- at"least one stud of each pair being yieldingly mounted tomove inwardlytoward the other to an extent determined by the consistency of thecigarette, means moving in timed relationship to the carrier for feedingone cigarette at a timebetween the studs, and means operative to controlthe studs in such a manner as to release a cigarette at a different timeand place when a stud has moved inwardly I beyond a predetermined pointthan otherwise.

3. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination, a plurality of pairs of feelers arranged toengage and enter the opposite ends of each cigarette, at least onefeeler of each pair being yie'ldingly mounted to move inwardly towardthe other to an extent determined by'the consistency of the cigarette,means operative to receive each individual cigarette and convey itbetween a pair of feelers in axial alignment therewith, and means forreleasing the cigarette from the feelers at a different time and placedependent upon the extent of movement of the yielding feeler when theparticular cigarette being tested. F

4. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling ofcigarettesand separating def-ective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination, a plurality. of pairs of feelers arranged toengage and enter the opposite ends of each cigarette, at least onefeeler or" each pair being yieldingly mounted to move inwardly towardthe other to an extent determined by the consistency of the cigarette,means operative to receive each individual cigarette and convey itbetween a pair of feelers in axial alignment therewith, said means beingmovable in substantially the same direction and speed. at the time thecigarette is fed between the feelers, and means for releasing thecigarette from the feelers at a different time and place dependent uponthe extent of movement of the yielding feeler when the particularcigarette is being tested.

5. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination, a plurality of pairs of studs arranged toengage and enter opposite ends of each cigarette, one stud of each pairbeing yieldingly mounted to move inwardly toward the other to an extentdetermined by the consistency of the cigarette, means operative toreceive each individual cigarette and convey it between a pair of studsin axial alignment therewith, and means for releasing the cigarette fromthe studs at a different time and place dependent upon the extent ofmovement of the yielding stud when the particular cigarette is beingtested.

6. A testing device'for testing the consistency of the filling ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination, a plurality of pairs of studs arranged toengage and enter the opposite ends of each cigarette, one stud of eachpair being yieldingly mounted to move inwardly toward the other to anextent determined by the consistency of the cigarette, means operativeto receive each individual cigarette and conveyit between a pair ofstuds in axial alignment therewith, said means being movable insubstantially the same direction and speed at the time the cigarette isbeing fed between the studs, and means for releasing the cigarette fromthe feelers at a different time and place dependent upon the extent ofmovement of the yielding stud when the particular cigarette is beingtested.

'7. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination, a movable carrier having at least one pair offeelers operative to engage and enter opposite ends of a cigarette, atleast one feeler of each pair being yieldingly mounted to move inwardlytoward the other to an extent determined by the consistency of thecigarette, means operative to receive each individual cigarette andconvey it between a pair of feelers in axial alignment therewith, andmeans operative to control the feelers in such a manner as to release acigarette at a different time and place, when a feeler has movedinwardly beyond a predetermined point than otherwise.

8. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination, a movable carrier having at least one pair offeelers for opposite ends of a cigarette, at least one feeler ofeachpair being resiliently mounted and arranged to move inward- 1ytoward the other and enter the cigarette to an extent determined by theconsistency of the cigarette, and a device rotatable with respect to andbetween opposed feelers for delivering cigarettes to the latter.

9. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination, a movable carrier having at least one pair ofstuds foropposite ends of a cigarette, at least one stud of each pairbeing resiliently mounted and arranged to move inwardly toward the otherto an extent determined by the consistency of the cigarette, a pair ofdiscs rotatable between opposed studs for delivering cigarettes to thelatter, said discs being provided with means operative to control thecigarettes, and a rotatable deflector between the said discs, saiddeflector having its axis of rotation parallel to that of the discs andof the axes of the cigarettes.

10. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination, a movable carrier having at least one pair offeelers operative to engage and enter opposite ends of a cigarette, atleast one feeler of each pair being yieldingly mounted to move inwardlytoward the other to an extent determined by the consistency of thecigarette, means operative in timed relationship to the carrier to feedone cigarette at a time between the feelers, a cam situated in the pathof the movable feelers and operative to control those feelers which arepressed sufiiciently far outwardly by the cigarettes heldbetween them,said cam being clear of the feelers when they engage defectivecigarettes, and a second cam situated. behind the last mentioned cam andoperative in the path of the feelers engaging defective cigarettes torelease the latter.

11. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination,a pair of feelers arranged to engage theopposite ends of each cigarette, one feeler of each pair beingyieldingly mounted to move inwardly toward the other to an extentdetermined by the consistency of the cigarette, a pair of discsrotatable between opposed feelers for delivering cigarettes to thelatter, a deflector rotatable between the said discs about an axisparallel to that of the discs and of the cigarettes, a cam situated inthe path of the movable feelers and operative to control those feelerswhich are pressed sufficiently far outwardly by the cigarettes heldbetween them, said cam being clear of the feelers when they engagedefective cigarettes, and a second cam situated behind the lastmentioned cam and operative in the path of the feelers engagingdefective cigarettes to re-- lease the same.

12. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination, a movable carrier having at least one pair offeelers operative to engage opposite ends of a cigarette, at least onefeeler of each pair being resiliently mounted and arranged to moveinwardly toward the other to an extent determined by the consistency ofthe cigarette, a pair of discs rotatable between opposed feelers fordelivering cigarettes to the latter, a deflector rotatable between thesaid discs and about an axis parallel to that of the discs and of thecigarettes, a cam situated in the path of the movable feelers andoperative to control these feelers L N "I Fir of the feelers engagingdefective cigarettes, to release the defective cigarettes.

13. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes'from therothers,comprising in ccmbinationa rotatable shaft having 'mounted thereon amovable carrier composed of two parts, one of which is fixed to theshaft and the other adjustably mounted thereon, radial arms resilientlymounted on the adjustable part and provided with studs, said fixed partbeing provided with studs directed toward'and in alignment with saidfirst named studs, the two parts of the carrier being spaced apart uponthe shaft and each pair of aligned studs being operative to engage andenter the ends of a cigarette.

.14. A testing device for testing the consistency of the fillingof'cigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination a rotatable shaft having mounted thereon amovable carrier composed of two parts, one of which is fixed tothe'shaft and the other adjustably mounted thereon, radial armsresiliently. mounted on the adjustable part and provided with studs,said fixed part being provided with studs directed toward and inalignment with said first named studs, the two parts of the carrierbeing spaced apart upon the shaft and each pair of aligned studs beingoperative to enenter the ends of a cigarette, a cam situated in the pathof the radial arms and operative to control those arms which are pressedsufiiciently far outwardly by the cigarettes held between them, said cambeing clear of the radial arms when the studs engage defectivecigarettes, and a second cam situated rearwardly of the last mentionedcam and operative in the path of the arms, the studs of-which engagedefective cigarettes, to release the same. 1

15. A testing device for testing theconsistency of the filling ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination a rotatable shaft having, mounted thereon amovable carrier composed of two parts, one of which is fixed to theshaft and the other adjustably mounted thereon, radial arms resilientlymounted on the adjustable part and provided with studs, said fixed partbeing provided with studs directed toward and in. alignment with saidfirst named studs, the two parts of the carrier being spaced apart uponthe shaft and each pair of aligned studs being operative to enand enterthe ends of a cigarette, a cam situated in the path of the radial armsand operative to control those arms which are pressed sufficiently faroutwardly by the cigarettes held between them and the fixed studs, saidcam being clear of the radial arms when the studs engage defectivecigarettes, a pivotaliy mounted and spring-urged element on the leadingend of said cam to engage with and guide the radial arms, and a secondcam situated rearwardly of the lastv mentioned cam and operative in thepath of the arms, the studs of which engage defective cigarettes, torelease the same.

16. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination a rotatable shaft having mounted thereon amovable carrier composed of two parts, one of which is fixed to theshaft and the other adjustably mounted thereon, radial arms resilientlymounted on the adjustable part and provided with studs, said fixed partbeing provided with studs dir'ected-toward-and in alignment with saidfirst named studs, thetwo parts being spaced apart upon the shaft andeach pair of aligned studs being operative toengage and enter the endsof a cigarette, a pair of rotatable discs disposed below and between.the parts of the movable carrier, said discs having peripheralprojections, said projections being in alignment with each other andoperative to receive a cigarette and feed it into position to bereceived by a pair of cooperating studs, a:cam situated-in the path ofthe -radial arms and operative to control those arms which are pressedsufficiently far "outwardly by the cigarettes held between'them and thefixed StlldS,S2lid carnzbeing clear of the radial arms when they engagedefective cigarettes, and a second cam situated rearwardly of the lastmentioned cam and operative in the path of the arms, the studs of whichengage defective cigarettes, to release the same. 7

17. 'A testing -device'for testing the consistency of the filling of ciarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others, comprisingin combination a rotatable shaft having mounted thereon a movablecarrier composed of two parts, one of which is fixed to the shaft-andthe other adjustably mounted thereon, radial arms resiliently mounted entne adjustable part and provided with studs, said fixed part beingprovided "with studs directed toward and in align- :hent wi'h saidfirstnamed studs, the two parts being spaced apart upon the shaft and eachpair of aligned studs being operative to engage and enter the 'ends of acigarette, a .pair of rotatable discs disposed below and between theparts of the said'movable carrier, said discs having peripheralprojections, said projections being in alignment wiiheach' other andoperative to receive a cigarette and feed it into position tobe-received by a pair of cooperating studs, a cam situated in the pathof the radial arms and operative to control those arms which are pressedsufilcienly far outwardly by the cigarettes held between them and thefixed studs, said cam being clear of the radial arms when they engagedefective cigarettes, a pivotally mounted and spring-urged element atthe leading end of said cam, and a second cam situated behind the lastmentioned cam and opera-tivein the path of the-arms, the studs of'whichengage the defective cigaretteato release the same. 7

18. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling ofcigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising in combination a rotatable shaft having mounted thereon amovable carrier composed "of two part, one of which is fixedto the shaftand the other adjustably mounted thereon, radial arms resilientlymounted on the adjustable part and provided with studs, said fixed-partbeingprovided with studs which are directed toward and are in alignmentwith said first named studs, saidparts being spaced apart'upon the shaftand each pair of aligned studs being operative to engage and enter theends of a cigarette, and an element operative to adjust said ad justablepart axially upon the' rotatable-shaft.

l9. A testing device for testing the. consistency of the filling ofcigarettesand separating defective cigarettes from the others,comprising arms resiliently mounted on the adjustable part i";

and provided with studs, said fixed part being provided with studsdirected toward and in alignment with said first named studs, the twoparts being spaced apart upon the shaft and each pair of aligned studsbeing operative to engage and enter the ends of a cigarette, an elementoperative to adjust said adjustable part axially upon the rotatableshaft, a pair of ro tatable discs disposed below and between the partsof the said movable carrier, said discs having peripheral projections,said projections being in alignment with each other and operative toreceive a cigarette and feed it into position to be received by a pairof cooperating

